With the scrotum, there is one rule that makes everything else easier: the skin can take touch, while the testicles inside want gentle holding and light touch, never force. The skin is full of nerve endings for touch; the testicles themselves feel mostly pressure and pain. And a spot nearby that is easy to overlook is the perineum, the strip of skin between the scrotum and the anus. This article explains each, for your own body or a partner's.
Skin can take touch, testicles want gentleness
The skin of the scrotum can be stroked, lightly pulled, kissed or breathed on. The testicles underneath are different. They are very sensitive to pain, and a knock, a flick or a squeeze can hurt a lot, with pain that can spread up into the belly. Gentle holding and slow massage around them are fine; squeezing, pressing hard, pulling or flicking them are not.
Firm-feeling testicles are not a sign to keep away. Light, slow touch on them can be very pleasant. The rule is about force, not about avoiding them.
Ways to touch
- Cupping. A whole hand underneath, holding them gently, maybe with a slow lift and settle. This is an easy first thing to try, because it is gentle.
- Stroking the skin. Fingertips over the skin and between the testicles, light at first, checking how it feels.
- A light pull on the skin. Only the skin, only downward, only gently. Some men find that a light, steady downward pull on the skin of the scrotum, near the end, helps them last a little longer. It is worth trying, but it is a report, not a rule.
- The root of the penis. Behind the testicles, the penis continues under the skin. A fingertip pressing and holding on that hidden root, while the penis itself is being touched, can make the feeling stronger and help it last.
- The perineum. The strip of skin between the scrotum and the anus. Under it lie the bulb of the penis and muscles that wrap around its base. Some men describe light touch or firmer pressure here as very arousing. The prostate lies deeper, above this strip, and some feel pressure here as reaching toward it.
If the scrotum is tight and the testicles are pulled up close to the body, a warm room or a warm washcloth for a couple of minutes lets them relax and hang, which makes touch easier.
A sign you can see
A small muscle pulls the testicles up toward the body. It does this in the cold, and it also does it with arousal: the closer someone is to orgasm, the more the testicles tend to draw up. It is a useful sign you can see from the outside, though not a precise measure; asking still works better than guessing.
A toy, but not on the testicles
A vibrator pressed on the testicles tends to hurt rather than please, because they mostly feel pressure and pain. On the skin of the scrotum, a low setting can be pleasant. Vibration on the perineum is worth trying: some people love it, others feel little, and it should always stay comfortable.
A small, light toy with a thin tip is easy to use here: on a low setting on the skin of the scrotum, or on the perineum if the pressure and vibration feel comfortable.
People differ a lot here
Some men feel a lot on the scrotum and love being held and stroked there. Some feel very little. Some are so sensitive that touch is too much. All of these are normal. If the scrotum does little for someone, the perineum is worth trying before giving up on the region.
Safety
- No squeezing, hard pressing, pulling or flicking the testicles, and no vibrator pressed on them.
- Sudden, severe pain in a testicle is an emergency, especially with swelling, nausea or vomiting, pain in the belly or groin, or a testicle that sits higher or at an odd angle. Go to the emergency room straight away: a twisted testicle can be damaged within about six hours.
- A lump, a change in size or a new difference between the two sides: see a doctor (Toys and your health: when to check with a doctor).
- If touch moves on to the anus, anything that has been there does not go on to the vagina (Anal play: base, lube, and the anal-only rule).
What to take away
Touch the skin, and treat the testicles gently. Cupping is an easy start, stroking and a light pull on the skin add more, pressure on the hidden root of the penis can strengthen the feeling, and the perineum behind the scrotum is worth trying, especially for firm pressure or a toy. Watch the testicles draw up as a sign of how close someone is, and treat sudden testicular pain as an emergency.